In the cotton industry, the cotton crop is harvested by known harvesters which pick the cotton bolls from the bush. Left behind is a post-harvested cotton plant which needs to be removed. Other crops, for instance corn, also leave behind post harvested plants.
The post harvested cotton plants are not reused, and to date have been pulled up, raked into rows and burnt or flailed. However, burning is progressively being deterred, which makes it necessary to treat the cotton plants in other ways, for instance by putting mulch plants back into the soil for better conditioning of the soil.
One known apparatus is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,350,207 which comprises feed rollers and a shredding unit. The rollers and shredding unit are positioned at a substantial distance away from the cotton plants. The cotton plants are ripped out of the ground by a puller tyre and are pulled up towards the rollers and shredder. The cotton plant is fed through a pair of opposed rollers to feed it into the shredder, and it is found that this arrangement is complicated, expensive, and often fails due to mud collecting on the rollers. The mud also creates increased wear and tear on the various components. The apparatus is also bulky and heavy and is generally unsuitable for use in soft and muddy conditions, as it causes soil compaction.